Health and beauty are two sides of the same coin. You’ve heard the saying ‘true beauty comes from within’ right? This is because our thoughts, which are internal, lead to our actions. Our actions lead to our behaviors and our behaviors are the key to whether we choose to make healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choices. Note that behavior is defined as the way in which a person acts. Now, add in the factor of time. Those who choose to make consistent unhealthy choices will evenually begin to reflect that in their outer appearances, no matter their amount of natural beauty. Or in some cases, outer beauty remains but the person can’t see it, no matter how many people tell them it’s true. Our perception of ourselves is crucial, because an undesirable outer perception of ones-self leads to increased negative thoughts. Do you see the vicious cycle that traps so many? Now let’s take it one step further. The body is a physical extension of our mind (thoughts and reasoning) and our soul (spiritual essence). When the body stops functioning properly we call it dis-ease because something within is no longer at ease or in harmony. The soul knows that we are all beautiful. When we deny this in ourselves or others we begin to experience a fracture within.
THOUGHTS——->ACTIONS———>BEHAVIORS——-> RESULTS——–>THOUGHTS
*REPEAT*
Are you ready for the good news? YOU have the power to make a shift at any point during this cycle. I’m going to use a personal example to further illustrate this. My struggle with my own body image may differ greatly from the average person, in that the last couple years, I have struggled with feeling too skinny. When I express this to people, they typically roll their eyes and say something like, “Oh yeah, that sounds like a real problem. I would trade you any day”. So go ahead and get it all out before I continue….
….you good?
Now, guess what some of the first comments people say to me are after they haven’t seen me in a while. It goes something like, “Why are you so skinny…don’t you eat…you need to put some meat on those bones”. The fact that most of them say this without an offering of food is totally appalling. I’m only slightly kidding, so your best bet is to fill a plate of food for me before you make a comment about my weight. But on a more serious note, the way people say it makes me feel self-conscious. There’s two main reasons for this. The first is, I am a former drug addict and my weight always dropped significantly with my drug use. The energy with which people commented about my weight then, is the same way they comment about it now, but there is a huge difference! Which leads me to the second reason; I have put a lot of time and energy into becoming the healthiest version of myself. About 3 years ago, I switched to a vegetarian diet, limited dairy intake, cut out most processed foods, and chose GMO free. More often than not, I take great care of myself, so it’s frustrating that the outer appearance doesn’t always radiate that. Granted, I have endured more emotional stress than I ever would have thought I could tolerate and there have been days, week, or months that I fell off my wagon. I would like to focus on those time periods and show you the different solutions I personally used to get out of what I like to call, “The Destructive Self-Image Cycle”.
It usually begins in the morning, which sets the pace for the rest of the day. As I get dressed, I notice the areas where I’m bonier than I would like to be and I change mutliple times because my ass looks saggy in almost everything. The negative self-talk goes something like this, “Why can’t I put on more weight…I am disgustingly skinny…I have muscle tone but no one even notices it because my bones protrude…I’ll never be as strong and fit as I want…all my pants and shorts hang off of me….I have nothing to wear”. As I finish dressing and move onto makeup, I’m feeling pretty shitty, which makes my dry skin and dark circles even more noticable. More negative comments ensue. “I’m so tired…I don’t want to do anything…I just want to go back to bed…” I have drained myself of efficiency, confidence, and energy, leading me to be too late for anything but a quick bite for breakfast, if that. Knowing I’m now a step behind where I truly want to be will give me an anxious feeling that will last the rest of the day. That will drain my life force even more and I will be more likely to make choices that require the least amount of effort. And let’s be real, if I could get a healthy, toned body weight with the easy way out, I’d be there already. I know this and upon concluding the day, I will look back at what I accomplished and will not be satisfied with my results because I took actions that weren’t in alignment with my goals. I have solidified my foundation in unhealthy behaviors. This will lead to more negative thoughts about myself, my life, and my goals. Not to mention, this will greatly effect my relationships with others and I will have less to give because my cup is empty. The chances are higher that I will have conflicts with the ones I love or the ones I work with, further instilling more negative self-talk. Think of a self-image problem you have created and keep it in mind as we move onto my favorite part of the “Destructive Self-Image Cycle,” THE SOLUTIONS!
We have three potential areas of transformation: thoughts, actions, or spirituality. It does not matter under which category you begin with to switch things up because they are all related and inducing a change in one area will lead to changes in all areas if you stick with it and stay consistent.
Solution #1: THE MIND
The resources for re-programming your mind are endless (check out the ‘Resources’ tab at the top to see what I personally use). The first step in this area of transformation is to become aware of the thoughts you think. The goal is to notice every negative thought and then turn it into a positive statement. After that, you can practice feeling the actual vibration of those positive statements. This is the important part! Positive affirmations WILL NOT WORK unless you can progress into actually FEELING the statements as if they’re true. Just saying, “I am beautiful,” while secretly thinking “this doesnt work…this isn’t true” will not be beneficial. We are vibrational beings and when we create, it is essential to feel the vibrations of self-affirming thoughts. I began watching my thoughts at the age of 19 while overcoming my addiction in a rehab facility. Our assignment had been to write down all of the negative thoughts we had about ourself throughout the day in our journal and then turn them into a positive before we went to bed. I was astounded at the way I thought about and talked to myself. Never would I say those things to anyone else! I am now 26 and am still undoing some of the detrimental self-beliefs that I created but I can proudly say that positive thoughts come a lot easier and I know the instant I think a negative thought, that I am putting energy into what I don’t want. So on the mornings that I begin to get wrapped up in my web of negativity, I resort back to my resources and begin doing exersizes that will help me to feel lighter and more energetic. Because of the tools I’ve gained, I no longer need look to sugar, caffeine, or other stimulants to get me throught the day. My mind has naturally guided me to healthier choices because I value good-feeling thoughts, which lead to good-feeling actions. The downside to this method is that people that have become accustomed to detrimental self-talk for long periods of time, feel extremely awkward saying positive affirmations about themselves. You might as well ask them to stand in front of a crowd and say those statements because the feeling is the same. Another downside is that is might be more difficult to measure the results you recieve from these types of exersizes. So for certain types of people, focusing on the action based part of the cycle might make more sense.
-Pablo Picasso
#2: ACTION
Taking massive action automatically dispels dear. It’s only after we stop acting, that the fear returns. So if I want to feel beautiful, then I can start taking actions that lead to body changes. Action-based solutions to consider are a good excersize program and healthy eating. I got serious about what I was putting into my body about four years ago and didn’t develop a consistent exersize program until about a year ago. The great thing about excersize is that it gets those positive neurotransmitters in the brain, flowing. Healthy eating, on the other hand, gives my body the fuel I needs to stick with it. Until I began working on my diet, I hated working out because I was usually too exhausted and my body felt strained by the time I got done with everything else I needed to do. However, I was able to stay committed and consistent with my diet and eventually had the desire to start building strength within my body. This led to real-life results that gave me a sense of accomplishment. My mind was able to notice the connection between the results I got and the actions I took that lead to different behaviors. This, in turn, also effected my thoughts and I begin to notice that I could handle more stress (emotional and physical) with ease. Positive thoughts amplified! The downfall to this type of program is that, for some, it can be quite awhile before some people begin to notice the results, leading to a feeling of frustration. Hey, I got a solution for that! Thanks to the wonderful world of the beauty industry. One thing that I love about being a beauty consultant is how I can help women feel intirely different or better about themselves in a matter of a couple hours with a few simple treatments. My three favorite treatments to enhance natural beauty with a big bang are eyelash extensions and brow building, The Facial Spa (at-home spa device), and TR90 (body transformation system).
THE FACIAL SPA
Say goodbye to drastic skin treatments involving lazers and needles! By combining a microcurrent with gene-based technology, you can now have younger, tighter, clearer looking skin within 15 minutes. Many of my clients have avoided going ‘under the knife’ with this patented device that you can have access to in the comfort of your home.
I personally have super dry skin and love the moisture it puts back into my face. I also tend to get the annoying PMS acnes and by zapping them for a couple minutes, they will either go away completely or come to a head within 24 hours.
This little baby is a Class 2 Medical Device and I have used it to alleviate clogged ears, earaches, sinus trouble, and tension in the shoulders. Combining it with essential oils makes for an even more intensely blissful experience.
TR90 BODY SHAPING PROGRAM
TR90 uses genetic science, natural ingredients, heavy-metal free, absorbable protein to transform fat into muscle for up to 12 hours a day. When I started this program, I was skinny-fat and saw huge results in muscle build. I did the entire program for one month and now maintain it with TR90 Green Shakes. I limit my animal protein intake so the one I use is plant based protein but they also have chocolate and vanilla whey protein. There is no easy fix and I couple the nutritional aspects of this program with 3-4 days of yoga or cardio per week.
Grief from the loss of my life partner wreaked havoc on my body and I am so grateful that I had access to these tools to give my body the sustainance it needed to recover. It has been a slow, steady, and painful process. Anything worth working for usually doesnt come without effort.
*NOTE: To find out more these solutions and to see other pictures or videos and commentary, follow me on facebook, IG, and Youtube. You can also click the drop down menu under the health & beauty section of the menu bar at the top of the page and select the category you’re interested in.
EYELASH EXTENSIONS AND BROW BUILDING
I’ve been an eyelash extension artist since 2009 and have been getting extensions for the last five years. I will tell you it is, by far, my favorite beauty treatment. I have glady forgotten what it’s like to put on mascara and it’s fabulash! I wear contacts and have somewhat sensitive eyes, so not having to deal with the irritation of mascara (and forgetting to wash it off before bed) is a thing of the past. It has also cut down on the amount of make-up I wear because I literally wake up looking ready to go.
**P.S. You know your lashes are applied properly when they are weightless and you can brush through them with ease. They should fall out in 1 natural lash attached (not in big clumps causing irritation). They should last at lease 4-6 weeks. It should be relazing enough to fall asleep.
Brow building and sculpting is new technique I picked up and it is a new kind of time-saving addiction. I over-plucked in the middle before big brows were a thing. I had microblading done by the talented Anna Williams and loved it but I’m out in the sun a lot and it fades quickly. The sound of microblading gives me the heeby jeebies so this is a quick fix in between. The sculpting gel also helps your brows to grow with the combination of Vitamin A and Vitamin E.
Imagine the freshest skin, no mascara, not having to fill in your brows, not having to brush your hair (enter dreads) and this is my wonderful reality where I wake-up feeling like a Rockstar Queen. Plus, this allows me to get to spend more time creating my platform for like-minded people to have amazing experiences, transformations, and growths…all why looking my best!
So what if you’re not really into pampering yourself or making a radical behavior change? Never fear, there’s another potential solution to get out of beauty bummer cycle.
-Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
#3: SPIRITUALITY
It’s hard to say when my journey with spirituality began because I feel like my entire life experience has been an accumulation of events that has led me further and futher down the spiritual path. I was being prepared long before I even knew it and experienced many dark things before I truly came to know the light. But I would say I really got serious about the study of life and spiritual things shortly after I met my spiritual gangster and the love of my life. Suddenly, the world seemed so much more intriguing and I became curious, once again, as to what life was all about and why I was here. I became a seeker and started reading spiritual books, meeting with spiritual advisors, and taking spiritual classes. I became educated on how the experience I am having right now is a tool for growth in the greater cosmic scenario. My own personal journey led me from education to actual practice of meditation and yoga. Opening up to the realization that I’m a vibrational being, meaning my body responds to the vibrations around me, I became more in tune with my mind, body, and soul. I was able to bring more awareness to how my thoughts felt, how my body responded to the things I put into it, and how peace resides in the stillness of the soul. Now, the paths to take involving this approach are limitless and each person will have to find what resonates with him/her specifically. This can be a struggle for some because there is no definitive or “right” way of doing it. A spiritual journey is not a program that is lined out for one to follow. Each person will shape and mold their spiritual journey based on what mission they came here to complete and who they came to learn with. It’s not all meditation, chanting, and yoga. Tj often described the feeling he had while fishing and it is comparable to the feeling I have when meditating. Different practice, same result. Regardless of the way it unfolds, tapping into our spiritual essence is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have. What’s most interesting with this solution is the fact that once a person reaches their inner most self, the value of their outside appearance will no longer hold the same amount of value that the oustide world taught them it should. One is able to find peace within ones-self, simply by being. Not doing. Yet, it will still effect how the beauty cycle unfolds. Once again, after you tastes the sweetness of your own soul, you will become more aware of how certain thoughts, actions, and behaviors feel and will be more gently guided toward choosing the higher vibrational experiences on every level.
NOTE: For more information on resources involving spiritual solution, click on the ‘Tools for Transformation’ tab at the top of the home page.
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